I've always dreamt of this day.

To be waiting for my fiance to come down the aisle to start our lives together. Mama always said this would be the best moment of my life — if I wed the right person. She constantly raved about her wedding day while Papa disregarded it. I really wished she was still alive to witness her only son getting married. 

The journey to arrive to this day wasn't like anything a ten-year-old version of myself could imagine.

Ten-year-old me envisioned a beach ceremony, every row filled with our family and friends. The impact of waves in the background collides with the chirps of the birds. It would be right at sunset. For the perfect rays of pink, purple, and blue to mesh into the sky, reflecting on us by the altar. Seashell decor. Sand tingling our feet.

Truly magically.

Ten-year-old me was right about two things-- I was going to marry the love of my life, and I was going to have a beach wedding.

The rush of my heart palpitating to the speed of airplanes recalls memories of my dark days with my heroin addiction. It's so intoxicating. I can get high on this feeling every day. A part of me wants to live in this moment since I've imagined it for years, but the other part wants to get it over with-- to finally be able to call Mika my wife.

Two individuals wait on the sidelines.

Tania and Diablo.

It's crazy how small the line of trust we have with people from our past is.

Her bouncy curls extend to her waist as she sits on Diablo's lap. Tania is identical to when I last saw her three years ago. After many months of convincing, Mika found the courage to contact Tania and explain everything that went down. They have been irrespirable ever since. Mika asked her to be her maid of honor, and Tania literally screamed to the high heavens.

While I had an exceptionally concise list of people to ask to be my best man, Diablo wasn't one of them. Can you blame me? He actively tried to sabotage Mika and mine's relationship. He isn't my favorite person in the world, but after confessing to Mika about Diablo's condition, she begged me to ask him.

With a lot of blowjobs.

And creampies.

It's my guilty pleasure.

With all the chemotherapy, Diablo barely resembles a piece of his older self. There's not a strand of dark hair on his head or face, and his skin lacks the radiating nourishment from a healthy body. Mika isn't willing to admit she's terrified of losing Diablo, but I know she is. He's been with her for almost her entire life.

Parting ways leaves an opening for reconnection.

Death severs the connection permanently.

While I have my issues with Diablo, I will always put my ego aside if it makes my fiance happy. My sole purpose is to make her happy. I don't envy their connection at all. Whatever they have is incomparable to what Mika and I share. There's no ill feeling in my heart. Why waste my time hating people?

Life is too short for that shit.

The path towards the altar is adorned with fairy lights weave around the wooden baskets. White rose petals lead the way to me. It's simplistically beautiful. Two chairs with our guests. All I know, this is everything Mika wanted on our special day, and I can't wait to keep surprising her for the rest of our lives.

The breeze from the sea goes straight through me, causing my teeth to chatter. I'm blaming it on the weather, but truly I'm nervous about seeing the love of my life. We've come so far in the past year together in remote silence. I hate to admit a seed of doubt creeps into my brain.

A part of me is scared she will run away and flee... but deep down, I know she wouldn't.

Mika has grown so much as a person-- I just wished she understood how much happiness she deserves. She never wants to accept. For some reason, she likes to think she's a terrible person-- it will be my life's purpose to help her see herself as I do in my eyes.

My breath catches.

If I could screenshot this moment, I would.

Something just for me.

My throat tightens, but not because I'm petrified. If anything, I'm paralyzed. Speechless. Absolutely fucking speechless. Forget the crashing of the waves--all I can hear is the fierce pounding of my heart against my ribcage. She's fucking gorgeous. There's never a day where she isn't.

I'm mind fucked.

Mika trails down the aisle in a white glittery high-silt wedding gown, the train dragging against the sand. Two braids form on the crown of her head, meeting in the back to create a bun with her curls. A flower crown with a veil on the back rests on her head. Her shoulders are exposed from the off-shoulder gown, revealing her cursive tattoo of my name.

Fuck.

I might just die here.

Tears fall down my cheeks. I can't believe we're seconds away from saying I do. My eyes never leave Mika. They never have since the moment I stepped into Diablo's Paraiso. She won me over. I'm not much of a prize, but I'll foreverly be grateful that I'm her person.

Her giggles reach my ears as she extends her hands to hold mine. "Muneco, why are you crying? This is supposed to be a happy day."

"It is." My voice cracks as I bob my head. "I'm happy. I couldn't hold them back-- you're just so damn fucking beautiful. Waiting here almost made me forget. I can't wait for you to be mine forever."

Rosy blush creeps across her cheeks. "Til the end of time, remember?"

"Of course!"

Tania pushes Diablo to us with our wedding rings stitched on the flowery pillow on his lap. His veiny, pale hands brutally tremble as he hands me them. Tania showers Mika with compliments and tints her cheek with red-stained kisses.

Diablo coughs, signaling to come down. "If there's anyone in the world who deserves her, it's you. Take good care of her."

Mika narrows her eyes. "What are you guys whispering about? Share with the girls."

I open my mouth to reply, but Diablo beats me to it. "Nothing, Mika." He presses a kiss on her knuckles. "Just wanted to make sure he will spoil you with love and everything else you deserve. I love you."

"Eugene..." Mika drags his name out. "Stop saying it like it's your last day here."

His lips curve to a little grin. "You never know. It isn't looking too good these days."

Mika flicks his forehead with her pointer and thumb fingers. "Don't say that."

Diablo puts his hands up like he's been caught red-handed. "Fine. Fine. I don't want to ruin the wedding day."

As punishment, Tania waits in her seat, forcing Diablo to wheel himself next to her. Sweat rushes down his forehead. It's funny. Even if he is near his deathbed, I can't help but laugh at his efforts. What can I say-- I have child-like humor.

My heart swells when I look at my Princesa again, unable to sort my thoughts for our special vows. Fuck. I had this shit memorized, but of course, I'm forgetting now. Think, Asiel-- think! You can't leave our girl hanging, looking like a dumbass in front of her.

My fingers coil around her ring. "I don't know where to start. Believe it or not, I had my vows written years ago when we were originally going to get married, but I'm blanking right now. So, this will come from my heart and the top of my head."

Mika blows me a kiss as reassurance. "You got this, baby. I love you."

Her words of encouragement cause heat to inch up my neck. "The moment I saw you on that stage, Mika, I was done for. I was yours from the get-go. You're nothing like anyone I've ever met-- sweet, powerful, sensual, confident-- you walked around like you own the world because fuck, it is yours."

Using her other hand, she fans her eyes as they get glossier by the second. "I'm still in utter shock that you gave me the time of day. Before you, I had no purpose. Just a forced path to wander across. I thought I wanted to be Capo to make everyone proud-- to somehow prove myself, but you helped me realize I didn't need that."

My lips tremble. "My purpose wasn't to be a Capo. No, my purpose is to love you. To show you how great the world can be. Every now and then, the guilt eats at me. Our paths collided because of my familia. While I'm grateful to have you in my life-- I wished you didn't have to experience that to get this far."

"You deserve so much better, Mika." A sob croaks out my throat. "I'm sorry that I'm related to them. I'm sorry if I'm a constant reminder of them because of my last name."

Guilt consumes me. I guess I haven't gotten this all out of my chest. We never discussed what my familia did to her. We started over. Blank slate. Nothing to hang over each other's heads. It was all in the past until today.

Mika wraps her arms around my neck, ruffling her fingers through my hair as I cry onto her shoulders. Probably staining her dress. God, I'm always so pathetic. I would be the one to ruin our day.

"Asiel..." Mika's voice cracks. "Yes, you're related to them. Yes, you share a last name with them, but you're nothing like them. Nothing. Do you hear me? You don't remind me of them at all. I love you so fucking much. You help me see the beauty in the world... to experience the emotion called love."

She slowly unravels her hands, drying my tears with her thumb. "All I knew was blood. I thought I liked it, but I didn't know what I was missing out on until you. Asiel, you're so pure. Too sweet for your own good. I don't deserve you. You say how lucky you're for me giving you a chance, but I'm the lucky one."

I shake my head, protesting her.

"Asiel." Her tone sharpens. "You can have literally anyone in the world, Asiel. Yet you chose a sociopath. There's so much I have to learn-- to grow as a person. I say goodbye to my old self, but sometimes I fall back into the pattern."

Using the back of her hand, Mika wipes the tears, trickling down her chin. "I'm such a mess. I don't know how we're going to do it. Thank god, I have you because I think I'll fuck up our kid if I was on my ow-."

My brain short-circuits. "Wait. Kid? Mika. What?" A full-blown smile stretches across my face. "A-Are you pregnant?"

"You remember when I kept throwing up every morning a few weeks ago?" Mika digs into her neckline, pulling a photograph-- an ultrasound. Her irises are blood-shot red. "I wanted to tell you sooner, but there was never a perfect time. I'm four months, Asiel. We're going to have a baby."

My stomach tingles with excitement. Holy shit. I throw Mika over my shoulders and spin us around, screaming.

"We're going to have a baby!" I shout, lightly spanking Mika on her ass.

She laughs in my ear. It's so beautiful. I'm so happy I get to listen to this for the rest of my life. She's all mine. Carefully, I place her back in the sand and sink to my knees to snuggle my ear against her stomach.

Any tears from before are long gone.

"I'm going to be a daddy," I say, hoping to hear the little bean move in their mama's belly. "Oh my god, I can't believe our little miracle is in there. Your Mom and Dad can't wait for you to come out already."

Her hands lay over mine as she bends down to plant a kiss on my head. "Five more months to go, big boy. You have to do all the fighting. I can't be a badass anymore."

Shock flashes over my face. "What... Are you insane? Pregnant women are badass. This whole journey is harder than anything I'll ever go through. There's nothing to fight for anymore."

Mika arches her eyebrows, indirectly sending a telepathic message.

I sigh. "She wasn't in Paris, was she? You think he found her?"

She nods. "We can't let her marry him. She deserves a life as much as the rest of us. We just have to find her."

My arms coil around her waist. "You can't risk yourself, Princesa. Our little angel is important, too. You can't just throw everything aside. We will find her together."

"Promise?" She extends her pinky to me.

I wrap my pinky around hers, kissing my thumb before connecting with Mika's. "Promise."

Her aquamarine irises glimmer with delight. My palm cups her cheek, and she snuggles into my touch. Her lips curve to the brightest, toe-curling, heart-warming smile I have ever seen. On our own, we wouldn't make the best parents. But being together changes everything. Whatever I lack, Mika has.

Vice versa.

We both have fucked up a lot in our lifetime on this earth, but I know we will do anything to keep our child safe.

It will be an entirely new journey, but as long as Mika is by my side-- I'll never fail again.

My finger tingle with anticipation as I lower my head to catch Mika in a kiss. It never gets old. It's like kissing her for the first time all over again. My knees nearly collapse. It's like I'm flying on a cloud in the sky. Somersaults spring in my stomach.

Her lips melt with mine, forming an original candy. There's nothing like us. My breath catches, sucking air through my nostrils as she drags her fingers up the back of my hair-- it's my weakness. I'm ready to make baby number two. My finger caresses her cheek. I could stay like this forever.

I would never complain.

"Okay. Okay. We don't want to see you make a baby," Diablo grumbles.

"Speak for yourself. I do!" Tania chimes, clapping her hands. "I would gladly watch them fuck each other. They're so hot. Who needs porn?"

My nose crinkles, cringing at her comment as I break away from the kiss. "Let's go fuck, Mrs. Morterero."

Mika laughs, her cheeks scorching red. "Yes, let's. I'm pretty horny, Mr. Morterero."

Her eyes widen in panic when I envelopes my arms around her legs and backside. Her arms instinctively cling to my neck. "When aren't you?"

She sighs heavily. "It's hard when my husband is so fucking sexy. God, hurry up and get us to our room."

I gnaw at my lip. "Princesa, there are people here."

Mika nibbles on my neck, soothing the spot with a kiss. "That never stopped you before."

Fuck.

She's right.

I love her so much.

I'm going to have the time of my life, showing her how much I love her.

HEHEHHEHE 🙈🙈🙈the special chapter is here!!! What do you guys think? Mika and Asiel are going to be parents!!! Like omg who can't wait to see what they have 🙈🙊you may or may not find out in tainted hearts 🤭😝....

I even tease your appearance in Tainted hearts... how do you think it's going to go? 👀👀can't wait to hear your thoughts! ❤️💜❤️I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I love you guys 💜💜💜

Thank you so so so so much for all the support!!!